NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chairman of India 's UB Group , which includes Bangalore-based Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries , made the winning $ 1.8 million bid on a number of Mahatma Gandhi 's personal items on auction .

Mahatma Gandhi was known for his peaceful opposition to tyranny , which led to India 's independence .

Vijay Mallya was expected to return the items to the Indian government , according to CNN-IBN , CNN 's sister station in India .

Controversy surrounded the sale Thursday of Gandhi 's items -- among them his metal-rimmed glasses , pocket watch , sandals , bowl and plate -- prompting the seller , James Otis , to ask that the items be withdrawn from the auction .

India voiced strong objections to the auction . Its Ministry of External Affairs said the bidding would `` commercialize and thereby demean the memory of the Father of the Nation and everything that he stood for in his life , beliefs and actions . ''

On Tuesday , a New Delhi court issued an injunction to stop the sale . Watch the auction stoke high interest ''

But the Antiquorum auction house in Manhattan went ahead with the auction as scheduled .

The Indian government had rejected an offer from Otis , who had asked the Indian government to expand its spending on the poor in exchange for the items .

India 's government already spends a large amount of money on the country 's disadvantaged sectors , India 's culture minister Ambika Soni told reporters Thursday .

Still , the government had hoped Otis would not allow the public to bid on the items .

Soni , the culture minister , said that India 's government exercised several options to stop the auction at the Antiquorum in New York .

Gandhi , who waged a long struggle against British rule in India , was assassinated in New Delhi by a Hindu fanatic on January 30 , 1948 . He is still widely revered for his insistence on non-violent protest to achieve political and social progress .

Many Indians believe selling Gandhi 's items for profit is outrageous .

`` I feel very sad about it because Gandhi himself never believed in private possessions , '' said Varsha Das , director of India 's National Gandhi Museum , using a term of endearment for Gandhi . `` He gave away everything . He did not even have a home to live in . ''

CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report .

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Mallya expected to return items to Indian government , CNN-IBN reports

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India 's Ministry of External Affairs : Bidding would `` commercialize '' Gandhi 's memory

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Controversy prompted seller James Otis to ask that items be withdrawn from auction